Blinx boosts production efficiency with EVO shared storage upgrade
Blinx needed to triple their online storage capacity and improve performance.
Dubai-based media company Blinx has upgraded its media production capabilities by increasing storage capacity by 300%, achieving faster read/write speeds and optimising its 4K NDI and XR video workflow with EVO shared storage.
Producing around 50 pieces of content daily in its NDI-based studio, Blinx faced a major challenge—its existing storage system couldn't keep up with the demands of high-volume 4K video production. Seeking a solution that offered both speed and reliability, the company turned to EVO, marking a transformative shift in its workflow.
'Before implementing EVO, we faced performance challenges with our old video production storage,' said Basel Al Rouh, Technical Manager at Blinx. 'Particularly during peak usage, multiple users accessing our on-premise storage system or working with large project files would slow everything down.'
'We needed a high-performance, post-production storage solution that could handle our growing volume of media assets, maintain consistent speed, and support a larger number of concurrent users without bottlenecks. EVO's speed and ability to support heavy workloads were critical in addressing this need.'
Al Rouh explained: 'In the past, when we experienced a disk failure with our previous storage system, the rebuilding process caused severe degradation in performance, rendering the storage almost inaccessible during that period. We needed a system that could maintain stability and functionality even during disk rebuilds. EVO offered the resilience we were looking for.'
Affordability was another decisive factor. Blinx needed to triple its online storage capacity—and improve performance—without breaking the bank.
With EVO, Blinx could increase its 4K video storage capacity at a fraction of the cost of other options they considered. Not only did they increase on-premise storage capacity by 300%, they also improved their entire post-production workflow, all at an affordable price. EVO's scalable architecture allows Blinx to easily add capacity as their needs continue to evolve, ensuring a cost-effective solution for today and well into the future.
'EVO stands out for its beautiful and easy-to-use management interface, which makes it easy to monitor and control storage resources without needing extensive technical expertise. We can quickly scale storage, manage user access, and maintain high performance. This simplifies day-to-day operations and keeps our team focused on production,' Al Rouh added.
'Additionally, EVO's file transfer tool, Slingshot, has proven to be extremely useful for automating file transfers and streamlining our workflow. It allows us to automatically move large amounts of data efficiently across different storage systems.'
From cameras to operating systems, EVO works with everything in Blinx's forward-thinking studio.
'Another notable feature of EVO is the easy access from different operating systems,' Al Rouh continued. 'Our team uses macOS and our servers are mainly Linux. EVO's cross-platform compatibility ensures that everyone can collaborate seamlessly without the need for additional software or complex configurations.'
'While we work with various file types, all of our production is in 4K, and our infrastructure is entirely NDI-based, allowing us to handle video over IP with low latency and high-quality output. In terms of equipment, we utilize cinematic cameras, which align perfectly with our vision as a cutting-edge digital platform targeting Gen Z and youth audiences. Additionally, we have implemented an XR (extended reality) setup to enhance our production capabilities.' EVO's widespread compatibility is important as Blinx continues to push the boundaries of digital storytelling in the Middle East and North Africa.
Given Blinx's demands for performance, scalability, affordability, advanced features, and compatibility, they turned to their trusted local distributor, MediaCast, for guidance. 'We worked closely with Blinx to understand their requirements, recommend EVO, and provide the expertise and local support needed for its implementation,' said Bala Menon, Sales Director at MediaCast. 'This collaboration was key to ensuring EVO was the perfect fit for Blinx's needs, surpassing other solutions under consideration.'
If you're considering SNS products and services, I highly recommend them based on our experience at Blinx,' concluded Al Rouh. 'EVO has proven to be an effective choice, providing the reliability and speed we require to maintain productivity and streamline our workflows. And the SNS support team has been excellent, providing us with reliable advice and assistance whenever needed, which further adds to the value of the system.'
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